Brief Demographic profile: Desmond Tutu.
Desmond Mpilo Tutu (aged 84) is a well known male South African activist and spiritual leader who was extremely influential in his efforts to solve the issue of Apartheid, which ultimately brought him worldwide fame. Born in Klerksdorp on 7 October 1931 to parents Zachariah, a teacher and Aletta, a domestic servant, Desmond decided his chosen profession would be teaching (Thefamouspeople.com, 2015). He moved with his family to Johannesburg when he was 12 where he would be introduced to an Anglican priest, Trevor Huddelston, who he considered to be his role model. Desmond Tutu married Nomalizo Leah Shenxane in 1955, to whom he is still presently married to. Their four children – Trevor Thamsanqa …show more content…
Tutu attended the Bantu High School in a Western native Township, where he later matriculated in 1950. He studied at the Pretoria Bantu Normal College from 1951 to 1953 and pursued a diploma in teaching (Thefamouspeople.com, 2015). Tutu was accepted in to the University of Witwatersrand to study a medical degree but could not attain a bursary. He then decided to follow in his father’s footsteps of teaching. After completing the course he went to teach at the Johannesburg Bantu High school in 1954. He also graduated from the University of South Africa in 1954; thereafter he became a teacher at Munsieville High School, Krugersdorp from 1955 to 1958 (Nobelprize.org, 2015). After the implementation of the Bantu Education Act 1953, Tutu resigned because of the utter deterioration of black education to second rate. Desmond Tutu began ordination training, to follow the path of his role model at St. Peters theological College in Johannesburg in 1958. Tutu becomes an Anglican priest in 1960 and travels to England for further theological studies in 1962 (Nobelprize.org, 2015). By 1967, Desmond Tutu had returned to South Africa to teach at the Federal Theological Seminary in the Eastern Cape. He goes on to lecture in theology at the University of Botswana in 1970 and later in 1975 becomes the first black Anglican Dean of …show more content…
He was saluted for his clear views and fearless stance which ultimately made him a unifying symbol for all African freedom fighters. He continually focused on a nonviolent path to liberation and a democratic and just society without racial divisions of any kind (Nobelprize.org, 2015). Generating considerable attention for his nonviolent teachings towards liberation, Tutu was appointed the first black General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches in 1978 and goes on to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for speaking out against Apartheid in 1984 (Thefamouspeople.com, 2015). This was then followed by Tutu being elected as the first black Anglican Bishop in 1985 and first black Archbishop of Cape Town in 1986. Desmond Tutu’s voice of reason and peaceful teachings was a unifying symbol for all South Africans during Apartheid. Desmond Tutu is then selected to lead the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to gather evidence of the Apartheid-era crimes. This commission under his ‘’Ubuntu’’ and ‘’Rainbow Nation’’ teachings would reconcile South African society to a large extent. This not only had political ramifications but it altered South African history and society to a more peaceful and just society in which all live
Desmond Mpilo Tutu (aged 84) is a well known male South African activist and spiritual leader who was extremely influential in his efforts to solve the issue of Apartheid, which ultimately brought him worldwide fame. Born in Klerksdorp on 7 October 1931 to parents Zachariah, a teacher and Aletta, a domestic servant, Desmond decided his chosen profession would be teaching (Thefamouspeople.com, 2015). He moved with his family to Johannesburg when he was 12 where he would be introduced to an Anglican priest, Trevor Huddelston, who he considered to be his role model. Desmond Tutu married Nomalizo Leah Shenxane in 1955, to whom he is still presently married to. Their four children – Trevor Thamsanqa …show more content…
Tutu attended the Bantu High School in a Western native Township, where he later matriculated in 1950. He studied at the Pretoria Bantu Normal College from 1951 to 1953 and pursued a diploma in teaching (Thefamouspeople.com, 2015). Tutu was accepted in to the University of Witwatersrand to study a medical degree but could not attain a bursary. He then decided to follow in his father’s footsteps of teaching. After completing the course he went to teach at the Johannesburg Bantu High school in 1954. He also graduated from the University of South Africa in 1954; thereafter he became a teacher at Munsieville High School, Krugersdorp from 1955 to 1958 (Nobelprize.org, 2015). After the implementation of the Bantu Education Act 1953, Tutu resigned because of the utter deterioration of black education to second rate. Desmond Tutu began ordination training, to follow the path of his role model at St. Peters theological College in Johannesburg in 1958. Tutu becomes an Anglican priest in 1960 and travels to England for further theological studies in 1962 (Nobelprize.org, 2015). By 1967, Desmond Tutu had returned to South Africa to teach at the Federal Theological Seminary in the Eastern Cape. He goes on to lecture in theology at the University of Botswana in 1970 and later in 1975 becomes the first black Anglican Dean of …show more content…
He was saluted for his clear views and fearless stance which ultimately made him a unifying symbol for all African freedom fighters. He continually focused on a nonviolent path to liberation and a democratic and just society without racial divisions of any kind (Nobelprize.org, 2015). Generating considerable attention for his nonviolent teachings towards liberation, Tutu was appointed the first black General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches in 1978 and goes on to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for speaking out against Apartheid in 1984 (Thefamouspeople.com, 2015). This was then followed by Tutu being elected as the first black Anglican Bishop in 1985 and first black Archbishop of Cape Town in 1986. Desmond Tutu’s voice of reason and peaceful teachings was a unifying symbol for all South Africans during Apartheid. Desmond Tutu is then selected to lead the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to gather evidence of the Apartheid-era crimes. This commission under his ‘’Ubuntu’’ and ‘’Rainbow Nation’’ teachings would reconcile South African society to a large extent. This not only had political ramifications but it altered South African history and society to a more peaceful and just society in which all live